1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to roller coaster maintenance. More particularly, this invention relates to vehicles employed for roller coaster maintenance and methods of maintaining roller coaster tracks.
2. State of the Art
Roller coasters have enjoyed immense popularity in the United States and elsewhere for over one hundred years. These rides often consist of a passenger carrying vehicle, or collection of vehicles joined together, which traverse along a track system. Historically, the track system typically comprised a pair of parallel rails which exhibit steep upward and downward gradients in elevation, and sharp left and right turns. Roller coaster cars are mounted on the track system and are propelled along the track system by a roller coaster propulsion system. The roller coaster propulsion system is arranged to tow roller coaster cars up steep track sections and then release them so that gravity operates to propel the cars down steep track sections, hence the term “coaster”. Aside from supplying the passengers with a pleasing panoramic view from high elevations, the main objective of the roller coaster ride is to thrill the passengers by traversing the track at the fastest possible speed while maintaining an acceptable degree of safety. The thrill experienced by the passengers arises from the sensations of rapid acceleration, brought about through rapid changes in vertical and horizontal direction of movement. It can be said that the thrills are generally only experienced when the cars are ballistic. However, some modern coasters accelerate the cars under power prior to letting them go ballistic and the powered acceleration can also be thrilling.
Innovations in roller coaster design have sought to enhance and intensify passenger thrill by substantially increasing the speed of movement along the track system, and hence, the resulting forces of acceleration experienced by the passenger. These innovations were greatly facilitated by technological advances in materials engineering, a direct result of which enabled the construction of stronger and lighter track systems and passenger vehicles. However, attendant with ever increasing speeds of the passenger vehicles is the ever increasing risk of catastrophic failure of the ride.
My previously incorporated earlier patent discloses an amusement ride having a wood supported running track that is realized by two wooden track structures and a support beam that is disposed above the two wooden track structures and bridges the two wooden track structures. Metal strips are laid atop the wooden track structures. A passenger carrier (e.g., coaster car) has a frame structure with a first set of wheels mounted thereto that are adapted to run along the metal strips of the first and second wooden track structures during positive-g motion of the passenger carrier. At least one seat is suspended from the frame structure below the first set of wheels. This suspended wooden rail coaster design provides a distinctive rough, noisy, out of control feeling in addition to a distinctive feeling of freedom (and risk/danger), which are enjoyed by many roller coaster enthusiasts.
To guide the car during negative-g motion, a second pair of track structures arranged either above or below the two wooden track structures and the coaster car is provided with a second set of wheels which are arranged adjacent to the second pair of track structures. In addition, a third pair of track strictures and a third set of wheels are provided to guide the car against lateral-g motion.
Safety in roller coaster design and maintenance is of paramount importance. In the case of wooden coasters, maintenance personnel inspect the track on a daily basis and make repairs and maintenance as needed. Historically, the maintenance crew literally “walked the track” looking for loose bolts, weakened wood, etc. That procedure is still used today with modern wooden coasters. The suspended wood coaster and steel coasters cannot be inspected in that manner. Inspection and maintenance of steel coasters is typically performed with a cherry picker or the like.